In this classic work, internationally known Viennese psychiatrist Viktor E. Frankl, founder of the school of logotherapy, sets forth the principles of existential psychiatry which emphasize spiritual values and the quest for meaning in life in the diagnosis and treatment of neurotic behavior.

What is Existentialism? It is perhaps the most misunderstood of modern philosophic positions - misunderstood by reason of its broad popularity and general unfamiliarity with its origins, representatives, and principles. Existential thinking does not originate with Jean Paul Sartre. It has prior religious, literary, and philosophic origins. In its narrowest formulation it is a metaphysical doctrine, arguing as it does that any definition of man's essence...

These three essays-originally written in the 1960s as lectures-show how novels, poems, and plays confront the philosophical complexities of humanity's existence. Our self-awareness-the very thing that makes us human-also makes us realize our powerlessness and the limitations of our existence. This concept is explored in this thought-provoking guide and provides a jumping off point for this treatise on existentialism and literature. Davis D. McElroy...

A man recalls his past life as a respected Parisian lawyer until his predicted downfall, in one terrible instant.

First published in 1882 and revised in 1887, "The Gay Science" was written at the peak of Nietzsche's intellectual abilities. It includes a large number of poems and an appendix of songs, all written with the intent of encouraging freedom of the mind. With praise for the benefits of science, intellectual discipline, and skepticism, "The Gay Science" also exhibits an enthusiastic affirmation of life, drawing from the influence of the Provencal tradition....

Thoreau advocates for nonviolent protest in his classic manifesto
Motivated by his disgust with the US government, Henry David Thoreau’s seminal philosophical essay enjoins individuals to stand against the ruling forces that seek to erase their free will. It is the duty of a good citizen, he argues, not only to disobey a bad law, but also to protest an unjust government. His message of nonviolence and appeal to value one’s...

German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche was one the most controversial figures of the 19th century. His evocative writings on religion, morality, culture, philosophy, and science were often polemic attacks against the established views of his time. First published in 1872, "The Birth of Tragedy" is the author's classic work on dramatic theory. It was the author's first published work in which he exhibited his enthusiasm for the dramatic works of Aeschylus...

Designed for undergraduate and graduate study, this anthology provides a history of the systemization and canonization of existentialism, a quintessentially antisystemic mode of thought. Situating existentialism within the history of ideas, it features new readings on the most influential works in the existential canon, exploring their formative contexts and the cultural dialogue of which they were part. Emphasizing the multidisciplinary and global...

Sören Kierkegaard (1813-1855) fue un filósofo y teólogo danés, considerado el padre del existencialismo. Su filosofía se centra en la condición de la existencia humana, en el individuo y la subjetividad, en la libertad y la responsabilidad, en la desesperación y la angustia. Diario de un Seductor és la mas conocida obra de Soren Kierkegaard. La novela describe la ambición amorosa del narrador, llamado Juan quien crea una estratagema para...